You have come across so much regarding the use of slimming jabs to lose weight, you feel the moment has come to give it a go ahead of the holiday period. However, the issue lies in cost.
Yet it appears there are other options instead of obtaining a doctor's script and going to the pharmacy. An SMS arrives giving a link to a website with more affordable medication – and requiring no necessity to go through official channels. You also noticed a comparable advertisement on online platforms recently, so you decide to take the plunge.
The catch is such promotions are almost certainly fraudulent schemes. In the best-case scenario, you will be sent nothing and forfeit whatever money you paid. At worst, you obtain a counterfeit item, containing unspecified components that could lead to serious medical issues.
The popularity of authentic slimming drugs has led to a increase in fake goods entering circulation and deceptive practices established to simply take consumers' cash.
Medical regulators have advised avoiding buying such unlawful slimming medications absent a doctor's order from beauty salons, fake pharmacy websites or via digital platforms, stating they might include “harmful substances and additional components that could cause real harm”.
Recent statistics from a major retail bank show a significant surge in the quantity of customers who have been impacted by the fraud. The bank says, the amount of money stolen through fraudulent activities involving slimming jabs, pens, tablets and fat-dissolving products during the third quarter this year, was more than double the overall amount lost in the previous three months. Each incident typically costs victims £120, reports indicate.
“Fraudsters are deliberately targeting individuals' self-doubts and medical worries, with such frauds soaring in recent months,” says a financial institution's fraud prevention lead.
What it looks like
Most take place on communication platforms and social networks. Across platforms, a profile may mimic the company that you seek, but there will typically be subtle differences in text or logos.
The messages or posts will frequently use urgency-laden phrases such as “time-sensitive deal”, “special promotion” or “free giveaway”.
With the cost of certain authentic slimming injections, has increased recently, the scammers will set the cost of their “product” lower.
“Purchasing from unapproved vendors on the internet can come at a significant monetary, medical and psychological toll,” warns the security specialist.
Recommended Actions
Like any deceptive scheme, the wise saying applies: should something seem overly advantageous, then it probably is.
Medical authorities have warned people to be extremely cautious when buying medicines via the web. These products must solely be acquired from a licensed chemist using a prescription provided by a healthcare professional, it says. When procured from other sources, they can present serious risks to health.
Criminals can go to great lengths to design their webpage or social media page look as authentic as possible. Should they state to be an internet-based chemist based in the UK, it's possible to verify the website of the pharmaceutical regulatory body to confirm this is properly registered.
